


"Which Side Are You On, Boys?"

by Jonjo



Category: Justified
Genre: Coal Mining, Developing Relationship, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-01
Updated: 2013-06-01
Packaged: 2017-12-13 15:01:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/825650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jonjo/pseuds/Jonjo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Boyd and Raylan started work in the mine just north of the hollow they grew up in straight out of high school. Neither one of them was that thrilled at the prospect but they knew if they were ever to escape Harlan they’d need to save some money and jobs were scarce. So that was the plan, work in the mine, save up and get the fuck out of there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Which Side Are You On, Boys?"

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nikki6](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikki6/gifts).



> Many thanks to norgbelulah and thornfield_girl for running this challenge again and to Mike for betaing for me.

 

_Boyd and Raylan started work in the mine just north of the hollow they grew up in straight out of high school. Neither one of them was that thrilled at the prospect but they knew if they were ever to escape Harlan they’d need to save some money and jobs were scarce. So that was the plan, work in the mine, save up and get the fuck out of there._

_A year later they were still at the mine, saving not being as easy as they’d hoped. The mine foreman had talked about an opportunity for more pay. A disused seam was being opened up in a mine near Cumberland and they were looking for miners to volunteer. The danger was obvious, no one much liked the idea of reopening an old portal but the boys couldn’t resist._

 

They’d been on shift most of the day, digging and shovelling loose coal. This was an old seam but the geologists reckoned there was more coal to be had so they’d reopened the portal and sent down crews to clean up and shore up the old workings.

Raylan and Boyd had been working shoulder to shoulder in a narrow crosscut deeper in than the rest of their crew until Boyd was called away.

“Crowder,” the foreman Sturgill, bellowed, “Blanton’s a no-show today, so you’ll have to set the charge.”

“Where’d you want it?” Boyd replied and headed off into the dark, whistling. If Boyd loved anything besides his momma, it was blowing shit up. 

Raylan just kept on shovelling, cursing his father for the ache in his back. The bastard had thumped him in the kidneys at the weekend, for no reason he knew, and by the tail end of the day it hurt like hell.

He’d been back home to pick up some clothes now that he and Boyd had found somewhere to live nearer the mine. Neither of them had particularly liked the idea of working at the mothballed mine but getting away from Harlan, even a few miles, for a few months, was a freedom both of them craved.

That’s what had brought them together in the first place – the solidarity that came from having loving mothers who’d died too young and mean ass fathers who’d beat the shit out of them at any opportunity. (Though Boyd reckoned that Raylan’s pretty face hadn’t hurt either.) The fact that their daddies alternated between hating eachother and committing crime together only complicated matters.

Raylan heard feet running back towards him out of the tunnel Boyd had disappeared down. Odd, because he hadn’t heard the charge go off and anyway it was rare for anyone to run down here.

Boyd’s hand fell heavily on Raylan’s shoulder –

“Let’s get out of here, I can feel it moving”.

Raylan just followed him, he trusted Boyd, no point questioning things down here – if a man says run, you run.

A thunderous rumble was building behind them and Raylan speeded up, Boyd yelling at the men ahead of them –

“She’s gonna blow!”

 

Next thing Raylan knew Boyd had dragged him around a corner. They both ended up sprawled on the floor as a massive wave of dust and detritus blew past. Raylan was shaking and Boyd gathered him up, tucking his head into his shoulder and holding on tight.

They’d stayed like that, pressed tightly together, through two more falls until the mine went quiet and they’d heard their names being yelled down the tunnels. They’d scrambled to their feet still clinging to eachother and started moving as fast as they could towards the cage – they just wanted to get out.

They thought they’d got a free run but where the tunnel changed direction they saw that their path was blocked. Rubble had piled up and there was no way through. Their hearts sank, they had nothing but their hands to dig with and they had no idea how big the blockage was. Still, there was nothing else to be done but to start digging. They scrabbled at the pile, pulling at the larger lumps, praying that their actions wouldn’t cause another fall.

After a few minutes work they’d been able to hear men working on the other side and they’d started to yell. At the sound of the replies they’d relaxed slightly. The shouts were loud – not far off – they’d be out soon. They believed it – had to believe it – and kept digging.

It had taken over an hour of both them and the crew on the other side shifting the rock, to get them through. Boyd grabbed Raylan’s wrist and hauled him through the small gap after him, not letting go even when they were stood on the other side.

Creech was holding the cage open for them when they got there, the digging crew having gone up first. 

“Good to see you boys! You the last”, it was a question and a statement and they’d nodded as he’d patted their backs and they’d climbed into the cage. It clanged and creaked on the way up but every foot they got nearer the surface had brought fresher air and eased their lungs. 

A relieved cheer had gone up as Creech and the boys emerged at the surface. They’d filed through the waiting men, friendly back slapping inducing violent coughing as their lungs tried to shift the dust. An ambulance was waiting beyond the crowd and despite the coughing they had declared their health good. But one of Boyd’s hands had gotten ripped up badly from digging without a glove and he’d been grateful for the dressing.

 

Sturgill had headed off into the offices when they’d reached the surface, now he’d returned with another man wearing a suit.

“Alright boys!” Sturgill shouted to get the miners attention. “Mr. Ballard wants to say a few words.” Ballard straightened his back, turned his scowl into a (very forced) smile and addressed the men. “Good to see you all out in one piece. Next shift is cancelled. Got the safety crew coming in. We’ll see y’all back here day after tomorrow.”

He’d shrugged, nodded to Sturgill and started back to the offices.

 

“That it, Ballard?” Creech hollered after him, “These boys coulda died today – and that’s all you’ve got to say.”

“Nothing else to say, boys – not ‘til the Safety’s taken a look”, Ballard replied, “Get off home now, there’s nothing more to do here.”

“You might want to tell ’em the charge is still down there, Boss”, Boyd added.

Ballard spun to face him, scowling again now. “You left it? It didn’t explode?”

“I didn’t finish setting it. Wasn’t the blast that set it off – it’s just unstable.”

 

A murmur built as the men realised the implication of what Boyd had said and what had happened below. Ballard noticed it and wanted the men gone even more, he could do without a fight. He spoke quietly to Sturgill and then very determinedly strode off towards the safety of his office.

Sturgill shouted for their attention again. “Seems the bar’s gonna be free down at the roadhouse tonight. Get yourselves down there, I’ll see you there.”

And as Ballard had hoped, that did the trick and the men headed away from the mine.

 

The motel they’d been calling home wasn’t far from the roadhouse, so they’d gone back there to clean up and change. Raylan was still very shaken and quiet – Boyd not much better.

Boyd pulled out a jar of moonshine he’d hidden in the back of the closet and sat silently listening to the water from the shower. After a while Raylan headed out of the bathroom, towel slung around his hips and accepted the jar from Boyd, taking a slug. “I thought we were gonna die down there” he stuttered, swallowing more.

“Come over here Raylan”, Boyd replied but he got turned down. “Get cleaned up first – don’t want you all up in my face while you still covered in mine shit”.

A few minutes later Boyd returned from his shower clean and naked. He pulled Raylan to him, “Better?” he asked. Raylan buried his head against Boyd’s neck and mumbled, “Yeah.” They stayed like that for a while, pulled tight together, clinging to each other until the fear subsided and was replaced by lust.

Raylan shrugged off his towel and pulled them down onto the bed, pinning Boyd beneath him.

“We’re alive Boyd. We’re still fuckin’ alive!”

He leaned in, all desperation and need, and kissed Boyd, messy and hot. They tangled together as close as they could get, rubbing and pressing and stroking.

“Fuck, yes Raylan we surely are alive!”

Boyd flipped them over, lining up their bodies and reached between them. His hand settled over both their cocks and Raylan moaned. He moved his hand to join Boyd’s and started a gentle movement with his hips. The slow gentle pace didn’t last long, nearly dying brought added urgency to their actions and they shifted closer getting the extra friction they wanted. They struggled against eachother for control, kissed and sucked and licked trying to get their fill and before they knew it they were both coming. They clung to eachother as they rode the sensations, laughing, thrilled by their survival.

 

They took the short walk from the motel and found the back room of the roadhouse already full of their buddies from the mine. The bartender lined up a bottle and a couple of glasses for them without a word.

“Enjoy boys”, Creech smiled raising his own glass, “Thought you’d be the first in here but I guess...”

“A shot or two of Harlan ‘shine was required, my friend”, Boyd replied smiling back at him.

 

Two men in dark uniforms appeared in the doorway and the room went quiet as the miners turned to face them.

“We’re from the Kentucky Office of Mine Safety and Licensing, gentlemen. I’m Deputy Chief Inspector Yeary and this here’s Deputy Inspector Dodd. We’re not here to interrupt your evening just want a word with Mr. Boyd Crowder if he’s here. Find out what occurred this afternoon.”

“That’d be me Chief,” Boyd called out.

As the noise in the room returned to normal, the mine inspectors sat at a table near Boyd and nodded him towards a chair. Raylan and Creech moved to stand behind him.

“So you’re Boyd Crowder?” Yeary said, his tone formal and somewhat harsh.

“Yes, Sir, I am. Is there a problem?”

“And you’re the blaster. You got a license?”

“Yes Sir, I have a license.” Boyd replied, “But I’m not the regular powder man.”

“No? So who might that be?” Yeary asked, taking out his notebook.

“Man by the name of Blanton, Clay Blanton. Sturgill, the foreman, said he didn’t show today.”

“Do you think that’s significant?”

“I can’t truly say, gentlemen, not having known the man for more than a couple of weeks. He seemed like a careful enough man, conscientious in his work.”

“So what happened when you set the charge today, Son?” asked Dodd.

“I didn’t set it, Sir – When I got to the face the hole was already drilled and I started to load it but when I leaned on the rib I could feel the vibration and could hear a kind of hum. Scared the shit out of me!”

“So you ran?”

“Yes Sir, I ran. Got to Raylan here,” Boyd said indicating the man behind him, “and we got to the nearest crosscut and tucked in behind the wall.”

“And when did it go?” Yeary asked.

“We could hear the noise building right behind us as we ran, hollering to the crew ahead that it was acoming and then it was on us.”

“And you had to be dug out?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Thank you Mr. Crowder, that’s enough for now, I think.”

Yeary got up and moved towards the bar but Dodd held out his hand for Boyd to shake as he rose.

“You did well Son,” he said patting Boyd’s hand, “Probably saved some lives today.”

Dodd dropped into his seat again, thinking he’d sit a spell while the liquor was free.

A couple of the older miners came to sit with Dodd, they remembered him from his earlier days in the mines and were hoping to get the inside line.

They talked of the old days for a while then Dodd asked “Any of you know this man Blanton?”

“I do,” one of them replied. “Honest man, always trust to him to set his charges safe.”

“Can you think why he’d drill out a hole for a charge and then walk away, not show the next day?”

The miner’s face fell and he looked up at Dodd. “Holy shit! He knew!” 

“Well ain’t that something”, Dodd muttered and left the table to find Yeary.

 

  
Raylan downed the last of his current glass of whiskey, he’d lost count of how many he’d had and was just wondering whether he was feeling wobbly from the effects of the collapse or the drink when Boyd strolled back from the juke box, a smirk on his face.

As the first bars of the track played a cheer went up and Sturgill turned to sneer at Boyd.

“You put this song on but you’re not so principled about whose liquor you drink.”

“I’ll drink whoever’s paying, Sturgill. Damn boy, if we built our principals based on whose liquor we drank people’d think we respected our daddies, eh Raylan”.

 

“Sheriff’s at the door”, Raylan nudged Boyd’s shoulder.

“Probably heard there was a free bar”, one of the other men commented.

There was a bit of a scuffle and then Sturgill was being led out of the bar by the sheriff, followed by the mine inspectors. Dodd leant his head as he passed by Raylan, whispering. “They found Blanton at his home. Beaten half to pulp.”

With the sheriff and Sturgill gone, the men turned back to their drinking.

“Put it on again!” someone shouted towards the juke box and the voice of Pete Seeger started up but was quickly drowned out by the mens' singing.

 

_They say in Harlan County, There are no neutrals there_  
 _You'll either be a union man, Or a thug for J. H. Blaire_  
  
 _Which side are you on boys? Which side are you on?_

_Which side are you on boys? Which side are you on?_

 

“Nothing much changes”, Creech commented drily.

“Least it looks like the sheriff’s on the right side this time”, replied Raylan.

 

 

Having stumbled back from the roadhouse with Boyd, Raylan lay on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

“We’ll be out of a job.”

Boyd hummed in reply, “Maybe”.

“Maybe what? The mine’ll be closed and they’ll send us home.”

“Depends whether it was just Sturgill or if Ballard was involved”.

“Why? There was a cave-in – there’s no work for us now”.

“Some of the older guys reckon there’s plenty of other seams on that mountain they could try”, Boyd suggested.

“But if Ballard was...”

Boyd moved towards the bed, kneeling above Raylan and caging him with his arms.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen Raylan so stop worrying and kiss me”.

Raylan’s attempt at a reply was cut off by Boyd’s lips crashing into his.

 

  
They woke curled up into each other, they way they’d fallen asleep. Raylan rolled away from Boyd’s body and frowned.

“I can’t go back, Boyd. Me and Arlo... we’ll end up killing eachother.”

Boyd leaned up on his elbow and smiled at Raylan.

“Then we won’t go back”.  

 

  

**Author's Note:**

> The title is taken from the song of the same name "Which Side Are You On?" It was written in 1931 by Florence Reece who was the wife of Sam Reece, a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, Kentucky. The miners of that region were locked in a bitter and violent struggle with the mine owners for better pay and conditions. In an attempt to intimidate the Reece family, Sheriff J. H. Blair and his men (hired by the mining company) illegally entered their family home in search of Sam Reece. Sam had been warned in advance and had escaped, but Florence and their children were terrorized in his place. That night, after the men had gone, Florence wrote the lyrics to "Which Side Are You On?" on a calendar that hung in the kitchen of her home.


End file.
